Local markets in Pakistan witnessed a near doubling of vegetable prices on Monday, attributed to the halt in freight transport. This disruption prevented trucks and pickup vehicles loaded with tomatoes and other agricultural products from reaching their intended destinations, exacerbating the already high vegetable prices observed over the past weeks. The situation was further complicated by the traffic suspension at the main arteries.
The responsibility of setting daily prices for fruits and vegetables falls under the District Price and Control Committee, which is led by the deputy commissioner and comprises representatives from the Food Department and Tehsil Municipal Administration. Despite the committee's efforts to regulate prices, actual selling prices have nearly doubled the official rates. For instance, potatoes were fixed at PKR 120 (USD 0.54) per kg but sold for PKR 180 (USD 0.81) per kg. Similarly, discrepancies were noted in the prices of garlic, ladyfinger, and other vegetables, with increases ranging from PKR 50 (USD 0.23) to PKR 80 (USD 0.36) per kg above the committee's fixed prices.
Consumers, like Azhar Shah, expressed frustration over the disregard for the official price list, citing an instance of paying PKR 240 (USD 1.08) per kg for tomatoes against the committee's set price of PKR 160 (USD 0.72) per kg. The frequent deviation from fixed prices has led to calls for the government to enforce the committee's pricing more strictly and to take action against violators under the relevant laws. The disruption in freight transport, attributed by vendors to protests in the federal capital by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, has been identified as a recurring issue contributing to self-created inflation pressures on consumers.
Source: The News